tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64043214265353483962024-03-05T20:23:49.402-08:00Rachel about townOptimist. Tea drinker. Documentary watcher. Moves to Cornwall. Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131146409626622016noreply@blogger.comBlogger128125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404321426535348396.post-85116771162613757772015-02-03T07:38:00.002-08:002015-02-03T07:38:43.691-08:00Radio SilenceForgive the radio silence. Rachel about town fell off the wagon. I’d like to think you missed me. A couple of you did. You’re probably the two friends who are reading this now.<br />
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Besides, The Boyfriend keeps saying ‘hilarious’ things and commenting that he used to get his <a href="http://rachelannebrown.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/conversations" target="_blank">star turn</a> on the blog.
So I’m posting again to shut him up. Or for the love of writing. Or simply because I like the sound of my own voice.<br />
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Anyway. I've posted. More quality (ish) content to come soon. Watch this space.
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131146409626622016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404321426535348396.post-65366448866382887972013-11-18T11:19:00.000-08:002013-11-18T11:19:53.981-08:00On coming full circle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Some of the die hard readers out there may remember that I started this blog way back in November 2010, and my <a href="http://rachelannebrown.blogspot.co.uk/2010/11/new-resolve.html" target="_blank">very first post</a> was about saving a flat deposit. You may also recall that I swiftly learnt that I wasn't actually very good at saving money and abandoned that plan. I was young (er) and foolish and liked shopping in Zara.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">But somehow, in a turn of events that is still quite incomprehensible to me, I have managed to amass<i> just </i>enough money to reasonably pass as a deposit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I no longer live in <a href="http://rachelannebrown.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/on-relocation.html" target="_blank">the capital city</a>, but I do still live in an expensive part of the UK where it’s not unheard of to pay 50k for a parking spot.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So, upon abandoning all hope of a parking space, a garden, or a kitchen island (the moment I will truly know I am an adult) I have begun the flat hunt.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I have learnt the following about flat hunting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1. Estate agents are doing<b> you</b> the favour. Now I know you’re thinking ‘but they make their money by selling houses.’ You are wrong. Showing you around property is very inconvenient for them. It cannot happen at short notice. It definitely cannot happen outside of office hours. Learn this early on, lest be continually annoyed and frustrated.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2. The estate agent will constantly state the blooming obvious. You will be standing in a room with a sink, oven and fridge. You will be discussing the dinners you will make in said room. They will still insist on stating (for the record) that you are currently in the kitchen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3. Windows are no longer called windows, they are called ‘aspects.'</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">4. <span style="color: #282828;">Apparently it’s not good etiquette to look too closely at people’s family photographs or through their cupboards.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #282828;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">5. If you want a sea view you’ll have to be prepared to knock down walls, throw away half of your possessions, de-mould a bathroom and have serious doubts on whether your bed will fit in the bedroom.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #282828;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Problem is I want the sea view. Seems I'm just as foolish three years on.</span></span></div>
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Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131146409626622016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404321426535348396.post-33178478997977661772013-11-10T10:39:00.000-08:002015-02-03T07:36:24.552-08:00The magic of Christmas <i>On watching the John Lewis christmas advert </i><br />
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<b>Me</b>: so, what do you think? Were you moved?<br />
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<b>The boyfriend</b>: yeah, I suppose I was.<br />
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I'm really pissed off with the rabbit. I mean clearly the bear needs to sleep.<br />
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<b>Me</b>: But he'd never seen Christmas.<br />
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Oh, never mind.<br />
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If you haven't seen it yet you can shed a tear, or be annoyed at the hare, <a href="http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XqWig2WARb0" target="_blank">here</a>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131146409626622016noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404321426535348396.post-57341693573091936172013-10-01T09:02:00.001-07:002013-10-01T09:02:50.400-07:00The lost art of travel<div class="MsoNormal">
I don’t remember the heyday of travel. <i>Way </i>before my time. But
you see it don’t you - in films or on Downton Abbey. The days when travellers
wore their Sunday best, and strolled onto steam trains or stepped elegantly
into propeller planes.</div>
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Flying was a luxury for those people who wore fur and knew not of ‘the
weekend.’ You and I would have been on a coach trip to the seaside with a
scotch egg in our back pocket.</div>
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But now, thanks to the wonder of budget airlines, we can all
take to the skies. But there’s no Sunday best or elegance in the matter, as I discovered
on a recent trip with our lovely friends at Ryanair.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0QfGu4EUx-4SMkQGHwaSLZK2yk9yma_0GlNi6OSK5k9oqqPDxPy0FYah7kD3j21WFzfwSB28clx2IzbxM1uZOPDNtMeBjciv7zN5FAtC3YLmXwpKwBxu6iF0vgHwnh01xzYp_p91FlAY/s1600/lady+in+fur.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0QfGu4EUx-4SMkQGHwaSLZK2yk9yma_0GlNi6OSK5k9oqqPDxPy0FYah7kD3j21WFzfwSB28clx2IzbxM1uZOPDNtMeBjciv7zN5FAtC3YLmXwpKwBxu6iF0vgHwnh01xzYp_p91FlAY/s320/lady+in+fur.jpg" width="227" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Queuing for her onboard scratch-cards</td></tr>
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First there’s the stampede. The flight is called and we run.
Bags and limbs flailing as we sprint across the airport. Picture the scene of
the Pamplona Bull Run and you’re half way there. Next it’s time to be manhandled
into a waiting area where I learn how battery chickens reside. And that’s
before we’ve even made it onto the plane, where cramped quarters bring out the ‘best’
in my comrades, especially when it’s announced we’ve missed the take off slot. But
don’t worry, there are plenty of cheese and ham paninis on sale to keep our
spirits up; cheap at half the 8 euro price tag.</div>
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And as you haven’t paid for an allocated seat, priority boarding,
or simply been mugged on your way onboard, you’ll have to sit on a stranger’s
lap the whole way. They’ll give you an infant’s seat belt if you’re lucky. Ah
well, chocks-away. </div>
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But Ryanair, what you don’t realise is that the triumph is
mine. Even with your detailed baggage dimensions and weight limit and <b>strict policy enforcement</b> there was no
way I was paying £70 for the privilege of luggage. And now, sweet
smugness. No check-in queue for me. No waiting at the carousel. No chance of
you sending my bag to the wrong side of the world. Oh no.</div>
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Of course I haven’t really got enough clothes for a week,
and there’s no glamour in washing your smalls in the hotel sink or running out
of shampoo, but we’ll just gloss over that. </div>
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Travel’s not glamorous anyway.</div>
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131146409626622016noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404321426535348396.post-2171666371855922762013-09-02T14:02:00.001-07:002013-09-02T14:02:32.996-07:00Solving one of life's mysteries: Conversations with the Boyfriend<b>On the contents of the washing machine</b><br />
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Me: Oh, I've been meaning to ask you. Do you know why there was pasta in the washing machine?<br />
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The Boyfriend: No. Well, I mean I did cook some pasta, and maybe some has got into the washing machine.<br />
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Me: Right. But I mean, any idea how it got in there?<br />
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The Boyfriend: Was it cooked?<br />
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Me: The pasta? Yes it was cooked.<br />
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The Boyfriend: But I mean, maybe it went<b> in </b>raw and cooked in the machine.<br />
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Me: I'm not sure a washing machine boils for 13 minutes.<br />
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The Boyfriend: Oh well, it's solved then. We know it was cooked before it went in.<br />
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Me: Yes, but why was it in the washer?<br />
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The Boyfriend: Oh that? Yeah I've got no idea.<br />
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For more conversations with the boyfriend, you should click <a href="http://rachelannebrown.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/conversations" target="_blank">here</a>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131146409626622016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404321426535348396.post-89464211858751376742013-08-07T09:23:00.000-07:002013-08-07T09:23:01.787-07:00Being Patient<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The computer in my office is from, at best, 1998. It's slow. It can't open images. A PDF takes around 17 minutes to open. As you might imagine, this drives me up the bloody wall. In 2013 patience is hard to come by.</span></span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-617c31bf-598b-e9d8-addc-994416c91cbc" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Everything goes at super speed. Remember the days of dial up internet? Heaven forbid we mention LBTI (life before the internet.) But even broadband wasn't quick enough, now we need it to be 'super-fast.' We run for the bus, rush to the next meeting, think the world has ended when we lose 3G and hurry through life, barely stopping to take breath.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">But</span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 1; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on a recent break to rural Devon I was forced into thinking about patience. </span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 1; white-space: pre-wrap;">Staying a hut, in a field, it can't help but come to mind.</span><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Want a cup of tea? No problem. That'll just be an hour to get the fire going and boil some water. Dinner? Give it two. Need the loo? Just give yourself enough time to wind up the torch and get down the track.</span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg85E0GnIBUwiO8rryphYJRupQ5B9B-aPC8qkEWHKsNmR_PpiYWloIm7UhTZR9467gqz-Nw6scfA64enkHNwfz7tRgq7nACoHS8gzjieSNcrX4LoUh8mOBdVagZSPH5f702iGU3ejjwzLk/s1600/photo+(45).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg85E0GnIBUwiO8rryphYJRupQ5B9B-aPC8qkEWHKsNmR_PpiYWloIm7UhTZR9467gqz-Nw6scfA64enkHNwfz7tRgq7nACoHS8gzjieSNcrX4LoUh8mOBdVagZSPH5f702iGU3ejjwzLk/s320/photo+(45).jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Boyfriend tending the kettle</td></tr>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's a shock at first. Time may not wait for any man, but modern man certainly doesn't wait around either. Every minute not going at super-fast speed is a minute wasted. </span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And then you begin to get used to a slower pace of doing things. The sound of the owls outside as you wait for the kettle to boil. The warmth of the fire. The chorus of the thousand crickets in the grass outside. </span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And the waiting becomes part of the task itself. An enjoyable part too. </span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But now we're home, and the hut and her fire is behind us. The kettle boils in under 30 seconds and light is but a switch away.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span>
<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But luckily for me the PDFs still won't load, and so I'm going to use that time to daydream, doodle, or simply write this blog post. I'm going to slow down and give being patient a bash.</span></span><br />
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131146409626622016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404321426535348396.post-65161434796958666022013-06-11T12:22:00.000-07:002013-06-11T12:22:12.909-07:00A family portrait<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 23.99147605895996px;">Everyone's parents do things that annoy them. My father constantly tries to take my photograph.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 23.984375px;"><i>To set the scene: I am visiting the parents, relaxing in a sunny spot in their garden.</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"Oh no, dad please don't take my picture."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"Now just sit up a bit straighter."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"Dad I'm relaxing."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"Ok so just relax."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"I was relaxed."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"And smile."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"Dad stop squatting. Do you know how many chins you give me when you take pictures from underneath?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 24px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"I know you're protective of your image."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 24px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"I am not protective of my image. <b>STAND UP</b>. You're giving me chins."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"Cover them with your wine glass."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 24px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"You're meant to say I don't have a chin."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 24px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"Oh sorry."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 24px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"Are we finished?"</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 24px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 24px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"Enjoy yourself"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 24px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"I <i>was</i> enjoying myself."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 24px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">He pauses and looks through pictures.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 24px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 24px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"Sit up straighter.That's it. Now look straight ahead."</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 24px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 24px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"I think I'm better from the side."</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 24px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 24px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"You can delete any you don't like."</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 24px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 24px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"I'd really rather not look at them, thanks."</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 24px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 24px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"I know how it feels to be unphotogenic."</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 24px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 24px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And with that I stand, leave my sunny spot, and go inside. I need to make a run for it before he suggests that on my next visit home I wear block colours. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 24px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 24px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">They're more flattering you see.</span></div>
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131146409626622016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404321426535348396.post-10598995086860967472013-05-19T13:02:00.003-07:002013-05-19T13:03:26.893-07:00Double standards <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
This weekend I painted some chairs. This was not a well considered spot of diy-ing. No, rather the case that I awoke on Saturday with
the notion that our wooden chairs would look better if a different colour.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So I got up, went to the diy-shop, purchased paint, returned
home and set about the task.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I understand that this is not the done thing with diy-ing. There
is apparently <i>planning</i> that needs to
take place. Dust sheets to buy and sensible painting clothes to adorn.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxVwCQA2wvq-UKIPTne67ddjDBPqclUm0y5sMj6OsJFx4mmv1fxly6m3iIw2wRhe1BQmC-SRFBak9lwGosmvUd_HqPguFeu4whi-aeehb5IvXaE59cfYWyXZgWKdLwTHDJdvpsU6eFae8/s1600/paint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxVwCQA2wvq-UKIPTne67ddjDBPqclUm0y5sMj6OsJFx4mmv1fxly6m3iIw2wRhe1BQmC-SRFBak9lwGosmvUd_HqPguFeu4whi-aeehb5IvXaE59cfYWyXZgWKdLwTHDJdvpsU6eFae8/s200/paint.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And so it is that I now have four newly painted chairs. And
very nice they look too. I also have paint in my hair, all over my arms and a
few spots on my clothes.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Oh, and there is a fair amount of paint on the patio too. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Boyfriend comes outside and notices the large smears of
paint on our slate patio. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>“It’s fine”</i> I say confidently. <i>“Going to get some wire wool
on it tomorrow.”</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>“Would it be fine if I’d done that?”</i> he asks with a smirk.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am silent. We both know the answer to that one.<o:p></o:p></div>
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131146409626622016noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404321426535348396.post-9993076949943643702013-04-16T14:44:00.000-07:002013-04-16T14:44:13.295-07:00What did I tell you about banks?Remember my <a href="http://rachelannebrown.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/read-your-mail-and-why-you-should-leave.html" target="_blank">irritation at the bank</a>? Well this is what another financial institution thought fit to send me today.<br />
<br />
<b>Note to bank:</b> if you are going to send my new credit card in a plain white envelope, perhaps just leave it at that.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiguiGR_KMOuOPP5utii2wHqQ7RDe-VyfmvZphgC4FQ8uV6tcVVgbv9MZ4iB69Xx18IYxCLdwkqhDG_5ek5qgRkNnB61FYqlQp3qKElkgPQFC19cMe-TRZhHbAiBlgQqzSlKjr1Q5JbXCU/s1600/mail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiguiGR_KMOuOPP5utii2wHqQ7RDe-VyfmvZphgC4FQ8uV6tcVVgbv9MZ4iB69Xx18IYxCLdwkqhDG_5ek5qgRkNnB61FYqlQp3qKElkgPQFC19cMe-TRZhHbAiBlgQqzSlKjr1Q5JbXCU/s400/mail.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131146409626622016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404321426535348396.post-60911779434674749092013-04-11T10:04:00.002-07:002013-04-11T10:06:12.592-07:00The best of the advice: How to make friends and influence people<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So
I <a href="http://rachelannebrown.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/personal-ad-friends-required-do-i-even.html" target="_blank">asked for advice</a>, and advice I got. No postcards yet, but I live in hope.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://rachelannebrown.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/personal-ad-friends-required-do-i-even.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">How do you find friends as an adult</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> I asked. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here’s
the best of the advice </span>I've</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b> received. </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Several
friends thought fit to warn me off alcohol in my quest for companionship: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>“How
about an AA meeting?”</i> one quipped. <i>“Stop drinking beer in the greengrocers – it’s
probably giving off the wrong image.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Gee,
thanks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Of
course someone else suggested finding a home on the other side of the bar, <i>“</i><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222;"><i>I've always found that working part-time in a bar is a good
way to meet a heap of people. Especially if it is a place you like to drink
yourself, it's a perfect excuse to chat to pretty much everybody else in the
room.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">From
elsewhere came advice to seek holier help, <i>“Go to church!”</i> was followed by <i>“very
odd and unusual folks attend church. If evangelical – take your towel and cossie.”
</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Many
folks ‘felt my pain.’ <i>“I hear you”</i> one said. <i>“</i><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><i>Late 20s IS a tough time to relocate,” </i>replied another, <i>“ I moved to </i></span><st1:city style="font-style: italic;"><st1:place><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222;">Edinburgh</span></st1:place></st1:city><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222;"><i> at 28 and damn, it was tough. Made lots of friends by having a baby.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Woah – that’s a bit drastic love. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Moving on. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>“In the quest for love, my lovely former
neighbour trialed numerous different lady-seeking methodologies, I think
including a billboard.</i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i>”</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So, I need to wander around this very small place wearing a billboard ‘MATES
REQUIRED?’<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Never mind drinking in the greengrocer, a billy-no-mates-billboard really
would give off a certain impression.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>“Join a <a href="http://rachelannebrown.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/revolution-one-chord-at-time.html" target="_blank">uke group</a>.”</i> Yes I’d love to – but there’s not one. Could take
<a href="http://rachelannebrown.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/revolution-one-chord-at-time.html" target="_blank">uke</a> to pub alone and hope to have influence of pied piper. Worry this will have
outcome of billboard wearing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222;"><i>“Get a dog” </i>came a chorus of responses.<i> </i></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222;"><i>“Not for friendship with the dog ( although that would be good) but for
friendship with other dog walkers.</i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i>”</i> Whilst I
would like a hound, at the present time gaining a hound might mean losing The
Boyfriend. When I pointed this out to one such dog-advocate, she replied <i>“There
are pros and cons to most decisions.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And finally, in your hour of need, you know you can depend on the
support and encouragement of those far flung friends you already have <i>“Bloody
hell Rach – how hard can it be? I read earlier in the week that even Justin
Bieber has 4 friends.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And with that I am off to the pub.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Alone.</span></span></span></div>
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131146409626622016noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404321426535348396.post-45453944414092128362013-04-09T13:02:00.000-07:002013-04-09T13:08:59.054-07:00Personal ad: Friends Required. Do I even have a GSOH?<br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">How do you make
friends? No really. It’s a serious inquiry. As a child the sole criteria of
friendship is liking the same toy. Boom – you’re pals.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Seems it doesn’t quite work the same way at 29.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now I
have school friends, who knew me through the bad hairstyles, the teenage angst,
the smirnoff ice. </span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">University friends,
with whom I laughed, lived and drank jack daniels. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">And friends whom I have been lucky enough to pick up on my travels since then. Housemates, former work colleagues, friends of friends.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But having once
again <a href="http://rachelannebrown.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/a-beginners-guide-to-life-by-sea.html" target="_blank">upped sticks</a> and relocated to the actual arse end of nowhere, I’m at a
bit of a loss. S</span></span><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">ympathy is
not what I’m looking for. I chose to <a href="http://rachelannebrown.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/lessons-from-house-move.html" target="_blank">move 600 miles</a> to a place where I knew
nobody. I am by the sea. I do have friends.<b> </b></span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><b>But</b> they’re not
exactly here to pop out for a beer with are they? No they’re bloody not.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3QqcdDRikQtgMwt3ggOJkkqAvtLzWcF4sFCos_qzkEknuMZiSEhYTeOC0iBS2Y8C7pz709UUEugU-lvK2_6fEe3xGpX8tMfrJSxGSZZ5fTTl34Oqn7WIxziP6as785NqFlrvDLA_3Ug/s1600/friends.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3QqcdDRikQtgMwt3ggOJkkqAvtLzWcF4sFCos_qzkEknuMZiSEhYTeOC0iBS2Y8C7pz709UUEugU-lvK2_6fEe3xGpX8tMfrJSxGSZZ5fTTl34Oqn7WIxziP6as785NqFlrvDLA_3Ug/s320/friends.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Obviously I
have The Boyfriend, which is making the whole thing infinitely more enjoyable; but it would be nice to have a token friend whom I could meet for gin, or tea,
or a non-drink based activity. And I know from previous experience that this
friend-making-as-an-adult malarkey takes time. So I’m starting immediately.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Efforts to
date:<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">1.
</span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #222222;">Went to book swap in local pub. Saw sign in the window, was
brave and went alone. Beers and books – surely I’m going to like these people.
And like them I did. But I also brought the average age down by at least 40
years. Beers drank 1. Friends made 0. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">2.
</span><!--[endif]--></span><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Being lovely at new job. Naturally it’s a challenge to be
smiley. Lots of friendly people who comment on my nice coat. Attended all work
drinks in spirit of being social, but must accept these things are organic and
take time. Did find lovely lady with whom could discuss The Big Reunion. Beers
drank 6. Friends made 0.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">3. Yoga classes. Very enjoyable to align self with sea and all that, and bendyness coming along nicely. However, little opportunity for conversation, and </span><span style="color: #222222;">definitely</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"> no beer. (Was brief titter when lovely prim lady farted, mind.) </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">Beers drank 0. Friends made 0.</span></div>
<div style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">I suppose I did have a beer in the greengrocers when I popped in for groceries one evening, so there's another beer on the tally. </span></div>
<div style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; text-indent: 0px;">But readers where the heck you find like (ish) minded nice people who are looking </span><span style="color: #222222; text-indent: 0px;">to welcome you (or rather me) into their social life?</span></div>
<div style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; text-indent: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; text-indent: 0px;">Answers on a postcard. Or in a<a href="https://twitter.com/brownrach" target="_blank"> tweet.</a> Whichever.</span></div>
<div style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<br /></div>
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131146409626622016noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404321426535348396.post-91606458569246909952013-03-31T12:53:00.001-07:002013-03-31T12:53:38.634-07:00Read your mail. (and why you should leave your bank before your husband)Letters from the bank. What an annoyance. Now we're all online and paperless, all they're ever doing is updating terms. Leaflets destined for the recycling.<br />
<br />
<i>NO.</i> Let me stop you there.<br />
<br />
Changes in terms <b>more than likely</b> means that the change is bad news for the customer - for you.<br />
<br />
Businesses rarely make changes that benefit the lowly consumer.<br />
<br />
So this week, the change of terms from Natwest was telling me, in barely readable point size 7 font, that the interest rates on my savings account was going down. Now of course it didn't state that explicitly - it provided a table of figures for me to decipher under the heading, 'Our rates are changing.'<i> Sneaky.</i><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfY5Nfxb4XgC92iKFgz9ULsTGRo0E0twxjmDdoZBvBTtG-1rNLZ211z1QqcqbDBLHSdfJFP2ON0du2nm9IqdI79wL_BMKrL6snuJctC_jDFqKX2hsnMGhu4awm7WumIQEdnqpOya6aSCM/s1600/terms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfY5Nfxb4XgC92iKFgz9ULsTGRo0E0twxjmDdoZBvBTtG-1rNLZ211z1QqcqbDBLHSdfJFP2ON0du2nm9IqdI79wL_BMKrL6snuJctC_jDFqKX2hsnMGhu4awm7WumIQEdnqpOya6aSCM/s320/terms.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Magnifying glass may be required</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Now, I'm sure you'll have noticed that savings rates aren't too hot at the minute, so my rate can't really cope with taking a hit. <u>And</u> the hit is a whole percentage. So now they'll pay me just over a percentage to loan out my money. Charmed I am not.<br />
<br />
But Natwest, unluckily for you, I read your change of terms. And do you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to move my savings account to a different bank who'll pay me more.<br />
<br />
But of course most of us just can't be arsed.<br />
<br />
The internet confirms how loyal we are to our banks. 26 years is the average length of time we'll stick with our bank. Now considering the average marriage is 11 years this is a very worrying statistic indeed.<br />
<br />
So if your bank has changed your terms for the worse, for goodness sake, <b>leave.</b> Move your money. Every percentage makes a difference.<br />
<br />
Don't stay with a bank longer than you'd stay with your spouse. That really is just silly.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131146409626622016noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404321426535348396.post-72258366721518981322013-03-20T15:35:00.000-07:002013-03-20T15:35:12.842-07:00A beginners Guide to Life by the SeaOne month into seaside living and I'm really getting a taste for the sea-air. In fact today, I saw dolphins playing off the coast. As they say in Scotland, "cannae complain lass." And complain I will not.<br />
<br />
In summary, the last month has gone something like the following:<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Bloody tourists.</b><br />
Colleague: "Can you believe at the weekend I saw someone with their top off on the beach? In February? Bloody Tourists."<br />
<br />
Me: ( internally.) <i>Best not mention that I was there in my shorts. </i><br />
<br />
<b>Don't anger the sea.</b><br />
When it's windy by the coast, you really do notice.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpbo6_yxU42Ot0J-K_NKvA77E177lTyNmkY-qE3nxBcpU5H2_JbzABjtGih4SQnUdFpLDM8ZWcd1SBrIjaxduhDbpWHUNjV8cLCC3aTlY1PFBkSA66XU3VIIzjT0mlA-mPRhV-JqKSV1o/s1600/photo+(5).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpbo6_yxU42Ot0J-K_NKvA77E177lTyNmkY-qE3nxBcpU5H2_JbzABjtGih4SQnUdFpLDM8ZWcd1SBrIjaxduhDbpWHUNjV8cLCC3aTlY1PFBkSA66XU3VIIzjT0mlA-mPRhV-JqKSV1o/s320/photo+(5).jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Don't be deceived.</b><br />
Sunshine on a February day will not a warm sea make*<br />
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*Surfing attempt no1 was called off after 15 minutes, when, upon submersion in the icy water of the Atlantic, neither the Boyfriend nor I could remember our own name.<br />
<br />
<b>Room with a view</b><br />
Who knew offices could have views? Naturally, it's impossible to concentrate on any work at all.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiJhgDU89fWOEh0hPQKI9FbUq2jkif4QLVkxFFRVPz9-NkxXMpblPENQk83sYzB5XVQE1GHrNjZCue3OD0e_mfzbULhMFLvn9zp9XZTGX9ioXIplTtcu_yNCTj2tHemGHjoBXjwaqskjY/s1600/meeting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiJhgDU89fWOEh0hPQKI9FbUq2jkif4QLVkxFFRVPz9-NkxXMpblPENQk83sYzB5XVQE1GHrNjZCue3OD0e_mfzbULhMFLvn9zp9XZTGX9ioXIplTtcu_yNCTj2tHemGHjoBXjwaqskjY/s320/meeting.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>A back-end issue</b><br />
There are downsides to sea-side living.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5kameKbOHrXAkG8Vaz4-JjVL_brw4NozpIXtvbeoSuk1BHOkkEhKTzmFgar-k2qa91o6o_zDR4Un4PltDNLF934b2ayFKFXqVd3UMXgNV_coPnc9cuptdhGaGU8vT7WG4NxMNyQUlK9o/s1600/poo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5kameKbOHrXAkG8Vaz4-JjVL_brw4NozpIXtvbeoSuk1BHOkkEhKTzmFgar-k2qa91o6o_zDR4Un4PltDNLF934b2ayFKFXqVd3UMXgNV_coPnc9cuptdhGaGU8vT7WG4NxMNyQUlK9o/s320/poo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><br /></b>
<b>Looking back</b><br />
When you miss the city you left and your friends, you will feel momentarily better when you hear it's snowing up there.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbgpUqqW-5XihzI95kIgnMW2hXoKv79UVMJNJMzHhZtrpqt4sjmKDjgTQ99DM1nptClC-AzyfS-2IucHVC1UAbICgdIcsxLHGpgM7pBJ6NZt7XxXJih2pc2m0_3KXYh3ESU32Os8i2Y2A/s1600/shoes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbgpUqqW-5XihzI95kIgnMW2hXoKv79UVMJNJMzHhZtrpqt4sjmKDjgTQ99DM1nptClC-AzyfS-2IucHVC1UAbICgdIcsxLHGpgM7pBJ6NZt7XxXJih2pc2m0_3KXYh3ESU32Os8i2Y2A/s320/shoes.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131146409626622016noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404321426535348396.post-48275547102293053902013-02-28T08:27:00.002-08:002013-02-28T10:29:24.506-08:00Council tax and bra burning<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The council have annoyed, nay - riled, me. Yes, the tax is extortionate and okay, sometimes they leave the bins un-emptied,
but that’s not it. They've reminded me that it’s 2013 and women are not equal
to men.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In my home, I deal with the
bills. I set up the accounts, organise the direct debits and pay the blasted
things. So why, dear reader, will the council only write to The Boyfriend?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I call them up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Hi, I’d like to update the
details you have on my account.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Okay.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“I think you just have my
partner’s details.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Checks.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Oh no, you’re down too.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Oh right, well could you
possibly use my name on the correspondence, just because I sort the bills?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Oh I’m sorry it’ll just go
to him by default.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Okay. Well could you override
the default and send the bills to me please?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“We have you on record.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Yes, but the letters are
going to him, and it would be helpful if they were addressed to me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Sorry, I can’t change
that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I asked if he thought this
wasn’t utterly ridiculous. He thought I was a raving lunatic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Your bills are going to
the right address though aren’t they?” he added, as if this was the point. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And so it is that everyday
sexism continues.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Now, don’t get me wrong, thanks to the efforts of those who have gone
before us, <span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #282828;">women and men in
Britain have equal voting rights, freedom of speech, property rights, access to
education and health care equality. Super news indeed. But are men and women
equal? Are they heck.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #282828;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ69DOSQeL0hTvkySdc0sA7DiLXfSWXhiONd4luEm-TpKuIsu3-PsqF8Jwy6HtQXlfXTVFi4Hr3MRrAJ3sKbAHtNbrvmm4-K2JdAzptQA33fP9FDSHuPhMzWvTlwgqlpd_3xvjdRh43cM/s1600/women.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ69DOSQeL0hTvkySdc0sA7DiLXfSWXhiONd4luEm-TpKuIsu3-PsqF8Jwy6HtQXlfXTVFi4Hr3MRrAJ3sKbAHtNbrvmm4-K2JdAzptQA33fP9FDSHuPhMzWvTlwgqlpd_3xvjdRh43cM/s320/women.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Men outnumber women four to
one in parliament. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; color: #282828; font-family: inherit;">How many women
lead powerful countries? It’s a lonely and exclusive group.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Just 13% of FTSE 100 corporate board members
are female. And British women are paid 83p for every pound our male
counterparts earn.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And so it is that I am a
feminist in 2013. <span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #282828;">Feminism is
not about hating men or bra-burning, <b>it’s
about equality.</b> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #282828;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #282828;">Which given that I can’t even get the council to send me
(helpless woman am I) the bill, is clearly something that we all still need.</span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131146409626622016noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404321426535348396.post-74620492223416982232013-02-26T08:20:00.000-08:002013-02-26T08:20:02.221-08:00Lessons from a house move<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Moving, as people will cheerfully tell you, is only slightly less stressful than divorce or death. I have come out the other side. Here is my survival guide.</span><br /><br /><br />1. Do not develop a horrendous chest infection the day before relocating 600 miles. It will make the whole thing rather more challenging.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />2. Before arriving at the Van Hire company, do check that your license photocard is in date. Turns out, they expire.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />3. Accept from the beginning that you will not leave sufficient time to pack and will, at the final hour, be forced to throw any old crap in boxes at speed.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8E3zNhQ72BfXAhBYZwhyphenhyphenkbqg8N8tKpYf4W3eRzqOSr82OQXm7M-XBU4LH7_Ehyphenhyphen9qJ62CMOhipnJygRkKCRCnVoXuy1vb48drFf0h5IJC8mbDb81RxJoFN8h5LHNnTxDIWhhsBWKJW2KE/s1600/house+move.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8E3zNhQ72BfXAhBYZwhyphenhyphenkbqg8N8tKpYf4W3eRzqOSr82OQXm7M-XBU4LH7_Ehyphenhyphen9qJ62CMOhipnJygRkKCRCnVoXuy1vb48drFf0h5IJC8mbDb81RxJoFN8h5LHNnTxDIWhhsBWKJW2KE/s320/house+move.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />4. Cleaning your house will take much longer than expected. You will find dirt that you didn't know existed. Use the clothes you just cannot face packing to clean it up.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />5. Do not forget that you have to clean the fridge. You will be repulsed by the horrors within.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />6. Do not try and reverse a long wheel base van. It's amazing how one relies on the view out of that back window.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />7. Enlist the help of family members, but do not inform them of how long their train journey back home will take. There is a chance they will retract the offer of assistance.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />8. There is a reason why you are advised to label your boxes. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />9. If your bedbase snaps en route, duct tape will prove surprisingly effective at holding it together.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />10. When all you own is finally boxed and packed precariously in the back of van, you will have an uncharacteristic moment of melancholy. And then you will be excited about what is next to come.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <i>Goodbye Edinburgh, it's been a blast.</i></span><br />
<div>
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131146409626622016noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404321426535348396.post-11767496381218940602013-02-15T12:11:00.000-08:002013-09-02T07:37:18.226-07:00On relocation<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: You know how we like going on holiday to Cornwall?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Boyfriend: Yeah.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: And you know how we always say that we should live there
one day, what with the sun and beaches? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Boyfriend: Yeah.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: Well how about one day being now?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Short pause.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Boyfriend: Alright then.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p>------</o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And so it came to pass that we moved to St Ives. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoNV2pN924ay0s7pj9NwPDwI4wxzJar5K0fyub1uA3D00nkL2sHqOpEmEwdZg1x8fst_QTml6lcrRhMTXpg07YoPMM8VlGZUex705xXKFYG8OXekc6fzW_9fSRNx4EVmRkP799VvSKNEI/s1600/moving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoNV2pN924ay0s7pj9NwPDwI4wxzJar5K0fyub1uA3D00nkL2sHqOpEmEwdZg1x8fst_QTml6lcrRhMTXpg07YoPMM8VlGZUex705xXKFYG8OXekc6fzW_9fSRNx4EVmRkP799VvSKNEI/s320/moving.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131146409626622016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404321426535348396.post-86322087619068794152013-01-16T06:44:00.000-08:002013-01-16T06:44:18.950-08:00What's a bit of mould between friends?<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">As the
move south is just one month away, it was about time I found somewhere to live.
This was not, I might add, like flat hunting in Edinburgh, which is jam-packed full
of the blasted things. </span><span style="color: #222222;"> </span><span style="color: #222222;">No, St Ives, it transpires,
is a baron wasteland of habitable rental properties.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There were
times when living in a caravan was looking<b> </b>like an<b> extremely</b> appealing option.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi17pfTLyBsQ2KmzgtX6j8yHEMRxWDOIXxN0lgIc6E7C0XVFnY_eW95hoNlhD-5IoYt_FpKew-CptVE4udqKQ2gVU4vC9XBAhKX4RDHqQh8dfiVPiATIInUHhJQ7ORBKaxO8rWOQg7a4ng/s1600/flat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi17pfTLyBsQ2KmzgtX6j8yHEMRxWDOIXxN0lgIc6E7C0XVFnY_eW95hoNlhD-5IoYt_FpKew-CptVE4udqKQ2gVU4vC9XBAhKX4RDHqQh8dfiVPiATIInUHhJQ7ORBKaxO8rWOQg7a4ng/s1600/flat.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #282828;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Choosing a
house – sorry, flat, sorry, box – to rent is not fun, not at all.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I do not
care if the bathroom suite is avocado, but I do care if damp covers an entire
wall. 'I’ve never seen it like this before' insisted the estate agent. And I
will not be seeing it again – period.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #282828;">It is
genuinely not considered good etiquette to comment on the cleanliness in front
of the people who live there.</span><span style="color: #222222;"> '</span><span style="color: #282828;">I don’t think this house has ever been cleaned,' I
muttered under my breath at the sight of a number of dead insects on the
kitchen lino.</span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #282828;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Don’t
mind the wife - she’s just in bed with the norovirus – go on in,’ said an enthusiastic tenant. I breathed in
and popped my head round the door. Then made a mad dash to the exit and bathed in
antibacterial hand-wash.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: inherit;">The final
straw was viewing a flat in a converted attic. The owners couldn't find the
keys to the door, so I had to go up through the entrance in their home. As I
entered the flat the owner laughed, 'Don’t worry, once you live here that door
will be always be locked.'</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #282828;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was
about to move into a Bronte novel.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 17.75pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #282828;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So one thing is certain, when you finally find
somewhere that is mould free, does not have a carpeted bathroom or things
growing on the lino, you will not remember anything about it – like how big the
lounge is, or whether you can fit a table in the kitchen. You will simply be glad that you will not be
living in Mr Rochester’s attic. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131146409626622016noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404321426535348396.post-21971105073915852612013-01-02T06:49:00.001-08:002013-01-02T06:50:09.411-08:00Out with the old: A quick round up of 2012<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">So,
another year has bitten the dust. Farewell 2012. 2012, </span><i style="line-height: 115%;">jees.</i><span style="line-height: 115%;"> I know that I am getting on because I’ve started using phrases
such as ‘</span><span style="line-height: 18.18181800842285px;"> hasn't</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> this year gone fast?’ and, ‘there is no way that </span><u style="line-height: 115%;">they</u><span style="line-height: 115%;">
are old enough to be in a pub.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">So
what have I achieved in 2012, exactly? </span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 115%;">Have
my achievements outpaced my failures?</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Achievements.
Well, this might be tenuous but I bought my first lip pencil. The woman at the
Mac counter didn’t seem to comprehend how I had made it through 29 years
without one. Unfortunately, despite her insistence, my life has not been
transformed with the addition.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Progress
on the <a href="http://rachelannebrown.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/revolution-one-chord-at-time.html" target="_blank">uke</a>
has been slow and steady. A maestro I am not, but I do at least know more than
four chords. And in a surprising twist of fate, saving has come on in leaps and
bounds. Who knew <a href="http://rachelannebrown.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/hunting-for-supper.html" target="_blank">frugal living</a> could be so enjoyable?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And
failures? Well, my running efforts took a big fat nose dive when I <a href="http://rachelannebrown.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/injured-in-action.html" target="_blank">injured</a> my foot on the first outing. And I didn’t re-read the works of
Austen after all. Neither did I truly learn how to knit (drop how many?) nor
finish the <a href="http://rachelannebrown.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/shhh-im-writing.html" target="_blank">bestseller</a>.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9MUloSw1hd8srmLrOeEpQUuMG5C_JoONfR4ByPn3DU7uFr0HbgXTZ9ylj759b0GkDBTYwOVox6OigAORVEIJHr42Qj6UwD_VSidqOnnYZX91uL5ApGq02MF-ULTSV4VgoFlZv90fLHE/s1600/2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9MUloSw1hd8srmLrOeEpQUuMG5C_JoONfR4ByPn3DU7uFr0HbgXTZ9ylj759b0GkDBTYwOVox6OigAORVEIJHr42Qj6UwD_VSidqOnnYZX91uL5ApGq02MF-ULTSV4VgoFlZv90fLHE/s320/2013.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But
I’ve got a feeling 2013 is going to be a good ‘un. I’m moving to a new part of the
UK – so far away from Edinburgh that
it might as well be abroad. There are beaches there - so perhaps this means I can now pursue my
Olympic inspired dream to become a beach volley-ball superstar? Yes, that seems
entirely feasible.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And
hey, maybe I’ll even have some outdoor space to get the <a href="http://rachelannebrown.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/2050-not-moment-too-soon.html" target="_blank">laundry dry</a> in. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Oh,
we can but dream. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9MUloSw1hd8srmLrOeEpQUuMG5C_JoONfR4ByPn3DU7uFr0HbgXTZ9ylj759b0GkDBTYwOVox6OigAORVEIJHr42Qj6UwD_VSidqOnnYZX91uL5ApGq02MF-ULTSV4VgoFlZv90fLHE/s1600/2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 18.18181800842285px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Happy New Year to y'all. </span></span></div>
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131146409626622016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404321426535348396.post-77114465112909038372012-12-04T02:54:00.000-08:002013-09-02T07:44:08.030-07:00Conversations with the Boyfriend: A surprising knowledge<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>On Gender
Stereotyping<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Watching Match of the
Day<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: “Oh look it’s Steven Fletcher.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Boyfriend: <i>Stunned
expression.</i> “How the bloody hell do you know that?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: “Well he used to play for Wolves didn’t he, and then
Sunderland bought him when Wolves were relegated.” <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Boyfriend: “Yeah.” <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Long pause.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Do you know who that is?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: “Yes that’s Martin O’Neill isn’t it? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Boyfriend: “Do you know who he used to manage?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: “Yeah – the Villa.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Boyfriend: “Where did that come from?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: “I have no idea, but that is the end of the guessing game.
Thank you.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiK5E8RKmUrotCDx1yh6MusWCDbbM4ZV1ZCf0KR4W_BubcpXtlE5tCnwIww5nt-2u8KeJxpgz23Zz8WGg-I06FIpEqN7nvSkim-oU2d50vsQRERAK0zq9Q-ekUjai_HPcmFurhRC2lsKw/s1600/retro_couple_420-420x0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiK5E8RKmUrotCDx1yh6MusWCDbbM4ZV1ZCf0KR4W_BubcpXtlE5tCnwIww5nt-2u8KeJxpgz23Zz8WGg-I06FIpEqN7nvSkim-oU2d50vsQRERAK0zq9Q-ekUjai_HPcmFurhRC2lsKw/s200/retro_couple_420-420x0.jpg" width="161" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>On Wishes.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: “Ok, so you’re meant to hold onto the wishbone and make
a wish.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Boyfriend: “Ok.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>He closes his eyes.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: “I know you’re going to open your eyes, look at me, and
say, ‘oh it didn’t work.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>He opens his eyes.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Boyfriend: “It’s like you know me.”<o:p></o:p></div>
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131146409626622016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404321426535348396.post-89882249674791840192012-11-18T13:49:00.000-08:002013-09-02T07:37:45.785-07:00In Good Company<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWe2hf6h3PIJ1LFpNhXaqDFS4GaF-3Eh-OksXCPR1FtAKzqahYvMuuh5t9S8bVIFElpCDbka6LWI4YE0lAeRK9d-HfYcAwzNHuXIMpQE-0KSsnp7yHVzy40AJePSs-wnc_LrMoPFKE4fM/s1600/satc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWe2hf6h3PIJ1LFpNhXaqDFS4GaF-3Eh-OksXCPR1FtAKzqahYvMuuh5t9S8bVIFElpCDbka6LWI4YE0lAeRK9d-HfYcAwzNHuXIMpQE-0KSsnp7yHVzy40AJePSs-wnc_LrMoPFKE4fM/s200/satc.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Every time I go back to my home town of Wolverhampton, I look
forward to seeing the school girls. These are friends whom I have known since
the age of 11, and together we lived through pre-ghd hairstyles, dreadful boyfriends, and several years of PE
in <a href="http://rachelannebrown.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/navy-pants-conversation-with-school.html" target="_blank">‘navy pants.’</a> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nowadays it seems as natural to discuss the bank’s base rate as it does the best place to get your foundation. Anyway, you know you’re getting on when
one of you says:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Look at that girl without a coat. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>For the
record she also didn’t seem to be sporting much of a skirt.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Does she not realise it’s November?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Longing
look at bare arms.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Remember when we didn't wear coats?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Much hilarity was enjoyed. In fact, we almost certainly
ruined the Friday night dinner of several couples with our raucous behaviour.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I thought I’d share my highlights.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>On
Parking.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Friend 1: “You know I’m a bit worried about my car.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Friend 2: “Why’s that?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Friend 1: “Well I parked it somewhere that said ‘clamping in
operation.’"<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Friend 2: “why did you do that?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Friend 1: “ well I was driving to my work’s car park, but then
someone else’s work car park was nearer, so I just dumped it there.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Friend 2: “Right.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Friend 1: “Yes and the sign said clamping was in operation – but
what kind of clamper works on a Friday night? It’ll be fine.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Friend 2: “This sounds worryingly like the time you parked in the
bay reserved for charging an electric car in Birmingham.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Friend 1: <i>Laughs</i> “Oh god”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Friend 2: “Yes you had 2 lovely tickets for that one.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Friend 1: “You know I remember that I couldn’t believe my luck
getting such a good parking spot. I’d been driving for ages and it was so convenient.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Friend 2: “Wasn’t there a sign?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Friend 2: “Turns out yes. And a big, well, flashing plug. I
thought how handy it was to have an emergency i-phone charger in the carpark.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am pleased to report that the evening passed without a clamping
or ticketing incident.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>On being
born in the 1990s.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Friend 1: “My ex has got a new girlfriend.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Friend 2: “Oh no, I’m sorry love.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Friend 1: “No, it’s fine. Well, it’s not fine, but I wrote a poem
about it today.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Friend 2: “A poem?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Friend 1: “Yes.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Friend 2: “Dare I ask, what about?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p>Friend 1: “Well her twitter name game me a clue about her date of
birth.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Friend 2: “You’re stalking her on twitter?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Friend 1: “Not stalking no. Researching.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Friend 2: “Oh that’s alright then.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Friend 1: “I know. Anyway. Turns out, she’s young.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Friend 2: “Uhuh.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Friend 1: “Yes, so the title is ‘Born in the 90s.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Friend 2: “Have you ever thought you might have missed your
calling as a feminist beat poet?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Friend 1: “Now you mention it….”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So if you were in Made in Thai in Wolverhampton on Friday night, <b>that</b> was what we were all laughing at.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And if you weren't, you can read about what happened on one of our
previous meet ups <a href="http://helannebrown.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/otherwise-engaged.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131146409626622016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404321426535348396.post-13099625155841008492012-11-11T09:30:00.000-08:002012-11-12T02:19:51.910-08:00Shhh, I'm writing<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I must apologise for the radio silence. You see, I've been a
bit busy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Somewhere on my list of ‘things to do in life’ it said <i>Write a novel</i>. This was something I had
always dreamed of doing. Whether or not the thing ever got published, I saw it
as a ‘must do,’ up there with owning a campervan and finding the time to make a
patchwork quilt. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But it was a distant and far off whim, what with a full time
job and seemingly full time housework standing firmly in my way.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfnYMGGIOYw2__Tk6NE8NjxD7C-yMbNd6etfh_TPXK2Zjg1SMbz8ff0v0dznYMiXZ7Toayx-rsP5L3dynMBGcrB2yp66tl7ZrWGZKZ4QyZ0zvHTFa-ElQV4Whw4ldH-hH1LVUjt9kp2Qk/s1600/careful.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfnYMGGIOYw2__Tk6NE8NjxD7C-yMbNd6etfh_TPXK2Zjg1SMbz8ff0v0dznYMiXZ7Toayx-rsP5L3dynMBGcrB2yp66tl7ZrWGZKZ4QyZ0zvHTFa-ElQV4Whw4ldH-hH1LVUjt9kp2Qk/s320/careful.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well, that was until my arm was twisted to participate in a
little known movement called Nanowrimo. Although it’s not little known to the
200,000 or so participants who right this moment are typing, plotting, setting the scene
and killing off their heroines. You see, Nanowrimo challenges you to write a
50k word novel in the month of November. And I’m a fully signed up member. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
National Novel Writing Month is well underway; in fact
terrifyingly we’re almost half way through. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I didn't give nearly enough time to plotting, keep having to
remind myself what I've called various characters and am easily distracted by
twitter, but I’m writing, and although I am behind the target, my current word
count sits at over 8,000.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Will I finish in time? I’m not sure – but I’m certainly going to give it a bash. According to the <a href="http://www.nanowrimo.org/">Nanowrimo
website</a> I need to write 2,175 words a day to hit the 50,000, so if you’ll
excuse me, I’ve got a plot twist to pen.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And maybe in December I’ll get started on that quilt.<o:p></o:p></div>
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131146409626622016noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404321426535348396.post-78391065974193728622012-10-01T04:05:00.000-07:002013-09-02T07:38:06.033-07:00On Romance: Conversations with the Boyfriend<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><u>Champ</u><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Watching Match of the day, relaxing.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>The Boyfriend:</b> You know, I’d give up Champ for
you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">*please note
Champ is Championship Manager, a football computer game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Me:</b> Bloody hell, that’s big.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Long pause<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>The Boyfriend:</b> Actually, I may have been a bit hasty
there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Me:</b> What? So you wouldn’t give up Champ for me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>The Boyfriend:</b> No. But I’d say that I would.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Long pause<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Me:</b> Thanks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">----------------------------------</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><u>‘Hilarity’</u><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Watching tv dieting show, relaxing<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Man on tv show to lady dieting:</b> So your current weight is 31 stone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>The Boyfriend:</b> Rach you’re <i>no-where</i> near that. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For more Conversations with The Boyfriend click <a href="http://rachelannebrown.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/musing-on-meat-and-burglars.html" target="_blank">here</a></span></div>
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131146409626622016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404321426535348396.post-52946284642725459542012-09-17T14:38:00.000-07:002012-09-17T14:50:46.208-07:00Hunting for supper<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I love it when a simple walk turns into adventure. And food adventure is my favourite kind. So imagine my delight when, on a wander along the Water of Leith, I see blackberries growing in the shrubbery. Am I about to forage? I think I am.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVu7XcfA4OpGfnQKjn47D02upLUVzIXrFNEJEeIdtfcinjlya-8RsqLer00olFr8GWFoNQxZA38_BQWA7EhyKx_OJyoZDLm5qD4CPJqUEhOH8guSxgAIQHuIl0oIJpa1FZUCxctc6CoyY/s1600/SAM_0132.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVu7XcfA4OpGfnQKjn47D02upLUVzIXrFNEJEeIdtfcinjlya-8RsqLer00olFr8GWFoNQxZA38_BQWA7EhyKx_OJyoZDLm5qD4CPJqUEhOH8guSxgAIQHuIl0oIJpa1FZUCxctc6CoyY/s320/SAM_0132.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wild Blackberries in the shrubbery</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Boyfriend was on hand to throw himself head-first into the task. Not content with the blackberries growing <b>right by the path, </b>he insisted on scaling the bank. And on my taking his picture. Typical. </span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmTOgemDf_XpbKtFj8_SqXWqYjbKC-miXtW4PAYdK1gwOaq7SDzHuRSwJxAKxTcWtvOB6FkdFGoV3jOvsvKrUqsilU1Y_nYTHrPCCRh1VbPv5aF6XLmNyx1lyoX5-NUQzedzqb3STsnA0/s1600/SAM_0133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmTOgemDf_XpbKtFj8_SqXWqYjbKC-miXtW4PAYdK1gwOaq7SDzHuRSwJxAKxTcWtvOB6FkdFGoV3jOvsvKrUqsilU1Y_nYTHrPCCRh1VbPv5aF6XLmNyx1lyoX5-NUQzedzqb3STsnA0/s320/SAM_0133.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Action shot</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A bit of effort and a few thorny cuts (the Boyfriend told me to 'man up' at every thorny yelp) and we had a small bag full of ripe blackberries.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYLNUvbV__I0HhE_Y6gKmhoPcDhAb5ETLsTT7r-q9kIXcxdjv7zfjjDHZTcRz0dTkczhXG6Zms2MwKZtg7_T9yFs3C7SRTaY_fZwuB-E5mxObWicNtqecL6RqjYle6Ek9YaKXkkRIUGlY/s1600/SAM_0139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYLNUvbV__I0HhE_Y6gKmhoPcDhAb5ETLsTT7r-q9kIXcxdjv7zfjjDHZTcRz0dTkczhXG6Zms2MwKZtg7_T9yFs3C7SRTaY_fZwuB-E5mxObWicNtqecL6RqjYle6Ek9YaKXkkRIUGlY/s320/SAM_0139.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Urban foraging</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Just the perfect ingredient for a crumble, wouldn't you say?</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So a bit of sugar, butter and flour, the addition of an apple and a squeeze of lemon later, and we had ourselves a crumble. And all the sweeter it tasted for having harvested the fruit ourselves down by the river.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0pg61CXg4Srqxk3rh6QtWm-2WOZzjpTWmTwgKTb3sELBGxxYDz_InPeoGojmgqw1GdeDGkfJdZ-kf_zuHGhowIEan_yhr_I4z1oLzs9U13Rtq-Mc-_Q7tTCbxRF950Q6C6q8D-9jrIUo/s1600/SAM_0142.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0pg61CXg4Srqxk3rh6QtWm-2WOZzjpTWmTwgKTb3sELBGxxYDz_InPeoGojmgqw1GdeDGkfJdZ-kf_zuHGhowIEan_yhr_I4z1oLzs9U13Rtq-Mc-_Q7tTCbxRF950Q6C6q8D-9jrIUo/s320/SAM_0142.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blackberry crumble and cream</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And as we finished the last morsels, I suddenly wondered if I hadn't got ahead of myself in all this foraging excitement. Were wild blackberries even edible? Oh crap. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Next time I'll be googling first, but you'll be glad to know, we've survived.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For more information about foraging wild blackberries, here's a <a href="http://www.self-sufficient.co.uk/Picking-Wild-Blackberries.htm" target="_blank">handy link</a>. Found moments after I'd licked the bowl clean.</span></div>
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131146409626622016noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404321426535348396.post-86162492826235806132012-09-15T15:16:00.001-07:002012-09-15T15:16:47.989-07:00Technology fail<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have suffered a great loss. My 8 month old iPhone<span style="font-size: small;"> died. Apparently
a leaking bottle of gin and an </span>iPhone mixeth<span style="font-size: small;"> not.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It made an unpleasing electrical buzzing sound and even time
spent in a bowl of rice (is this some kind of urban myth?) did not revive
it. Neither did sealing it in an airtight container with silica gel. Nor a
stint in the airing cupboard. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ironically I was unable to google other options.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1fStKj5P_VIs2O408EUFe6keDlndtlV1bYYOEPwMERCUntqQ3NfSuDesj2fE1dcn575hZ1dJ6Podv9sbJEWnbjqSBOLcc0cbhACOVrruyF_0m1pnimKFAqZyTgp2271iQWjcSfWpOJ5Q/s1600/phone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1fStKj5P_VIs2O408EUFe6keDlndtlV1bYYOEPwMERCUntqQ3NfSuDesj2fE1dcn575hZ1dJ6Podv9sbJEWnbjqSBOLcc0cbhACOVrruyF_0m1pnimKFAqZyTgp2271iQWjcSfWpOJ5Q/s200/phone.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thus I’m on the emergency phone. A Samsung slide-screen. Who
needs 3G, internet connection or apps? I’ve got <i>Bluetooth. <o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It’s liberating being unable to check your emails
immediately on waking. You do not miss the stiff thumb one gets from smart-phone-scrolling.
And I can’t remember how to text by pressing letters, which is doing wonders
for my phone bill.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Anyway, the release of the iPhone 5 means that</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 115%;"> my (broken) phone has
been rendered obsolete. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">So
I might stick just with my ten year old Samsung.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">After
all, </span><b>it </b>doesn’t have an expensive intel core-processor that’s teetotal.</span></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131146409626622016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404321426535348396.post-11533695718937609572012-08-16T08:13:00.000-07:002012-08-16T14:39:28.812-07:002050: not a moment too soon<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have become someone who only
blogs about housework. Forgive me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But god, when did cleaning start taking
up such a high percentage of my life? Barely an evening goes by where something
does not require hovered or cleaned or anti-bacteria-ed. The Boyfriend lives in
blissful ignorance of the home the <a href="http://rachelannebrown.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/fk-po-lice.html" target="_blank">woodlice</a> are making under our radiator, or
the darkening rim in the bath, or the fact the oven needs cleaning. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It must be a happy world he
inhabits.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A world where dirty washing reappears
cleaned in wardrobes, the toilet magically smells of pine, and you have no
interaction whatsoever with a toilet brush.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4TmzDdZ4wFeG0i9hO3JzHM5D2ecyjSnyAfUbzXJM50OTI8DeaElEtknoonzEFWqxsvh4QAGiFELB-72n-ClNR52Vyz7MiZ37spZ2LTKHK6qepGHDCs48HCxOnpxDmhOWCxtBPzEFKvls/s1600/i-hate-cleaning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4TmzDdZ4wFeG0i9hO3JzHM5D2ecyjSnyAfUbzXJM50OTI8DeaElEtknoonzEFWqxsvh4QAGiFELB-72n-ClNR52Vyz7MiZ37spZ2LTKHK6qepGHDCs48HCxOnpxDmhOWCxtBPzEFKvls/s320/i-hate-cleaning.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Let me be clear, The Boyfriend
certainly does not think that cleaning is woman’s work, rather he does not see
the mess. And when I point it out, usually with bottle of bleach in hand, a
crazed expression on my face, and my voice a full octave above the usual pitch
that I am, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> <i>‘fed up, sick of cleaning, is this really what
you think I want to do in an evening? Yes I do feel put upon? Oh my god is that
MOULD, this house is a TIP, how can you not see the crumbs everywhere? How have
you got the new bin dirty?’</i> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">… H</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">e is usually quick to grab the
hoover in a show of solidarity.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But I know that I am not alone.
Worse still, change is hard to come by, and <span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #282828;">a study from Oxford
University has found that men are unlikely to be doing an equal share of the
vacuuming, dusting and washing up much before 2050.</span> <b><u>2050.</u></b> I’ll have retired. That is if retiring is still a
concept in 40 years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #282828;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But he does try.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Boyfriend: “I checked the
laundry to see if it could be put away, but it seems to be getting damper.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Me: “No love. That’ll be because
that’s a new load.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Boyfriend: “ah.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2050 you say? It’ll be here
sooner than we think.</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16131146409626622016noreply@blogger.com0